Electric Vehicles 

EV Charger

Electrification is the process of replacing vehicles, heaters, and other equipment or appliances that use fossil fuels with those that use electricity as a source of energy. Electrification is being encouraged through rebates by the BC Government, the Government of Canada, Columbia Basin Trust, and FortisBC to reduce Green House Gas Emissions, reach climate targets, and decarbonize the environment to minimize the impacts of climate change. Electric Vehicles (EV) and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV or HEV) are leading the way in electrification.

Charging at Home

Please consider programming your EV to charge at home during non-peak electric demand hours of 7pm-7am. 

For installation of home chargers please consult a qualified electrician to ensure all safety codes are met and consider the following questions:

  • How much current (amps) will your EV use when charging?
  • What is your existing electrical service panel capacity (e.g. 100 amp, 200 amp, etc.)? Can my panel support a Level 2 Charger?
  • Is there a 240-volt circuit already installed and available for use, and if not, is there room in the panel for 240-V double-pole circuit breaker for a Level 2 charger?
  • Will the charging station be direct-wired or plugged in using a 240-volt receptacle?
  • How much will it cost you to change your home’s wiring?
  • How much will your electricity bill be if you charge at home?

If you have any questions about EV charging at home, please contact Development Services at 250-352-8260. 

Charging in the Community

EVThe first City of Nelson EV charging station is located at the foot of Baker Street in Railtown near the Visitor Centre. This Level-2 charging station can charge two cars at a time. Eventually, there will be a cost for charging energy however, as part of encouraging EV usage it will initially will be a zero-cost use. Part of the choice of location was to ensure visitors who are charging their vehicles would be within walking distance of the downtown core. Nelson Hydro funded and installed this charger which was $36,000 and included provisions for special event power at the foot of Baker Street for the Farmers Market.


There are 3 levels of power to charge your electric vehicle. The more power a charging station provides, the faster it can charge.

  • Level 1: 120-V electrical outlet, used when you can park your car for several hours at home or in the community. EVs require an adapter to connect to a household outlet. Plug-in hybrids charge within 6 to 8 hours.
  • Level 2: 240-volt installed at homes and businesses for faster charging. 240-volt is equivalent to an outlet required for a clothes dryer or an oven. Plug-in hybrids charge within 3 to 4 hours. 
  • Level 3: Direct current fast charging (DCFC) stations are the fastest charge and are great for charging on long road trips. Some EVs cannot charge on Level 3. Please be aware what your EV requires.

Thanks to PlugShare, you can use the map below to find EV charging stations near you and plan road trips to make the best use of charging stations.

Electrification Study

Electrification is the process of replacing vehicles, heaters, and other equipment or appliances that use fossil fuels with those that use electricity as a source of energy. Electrification is being encouraged through rebates by the BC Government, the Government of Canada, Columbia Basin Trust, and FortisBC to reduce Green House Gas Emissions, reach climate targets, and decarbonize the environment to minimize the impacts of climate change. Nelson Hydro customers can receive rebates for many types of fossil fuel conversions as well as electric vehicle charging stations for their homes.

Electric CarNelson Hydro completed an Electrification Study in March-August 2023 using both primary (customer survey) and secondary (FortisBC and ICBC) data sources for analysis. The objective of the study was to quantify the impact of customer electrification on electric imports and peak demand in the next three to five years to determine if the current methodology of load forecasting accurately reflects our estimated short-term electric demand. Results indicated that:

  • There will be a slow uptake of electric or hybrid electric vehicles within the Nelson Hydro service territory in the short term for residential customers. This slow growth will not have an impact on residential demand and therefore the existing load growth methodology is sufficient to forecast this low level of growth.
  • The survey results for commercial customers were inconclusive. It is recommended that Nelson Hydro collect more information from the 190 large commercial customers about their fleet electrification plans using customer survey tools being considered for 2024.

The detailed results of the study are located here.

Additional Resources